


The Memories We Make

by SlashWriter2015



Category: Jurassic World (2015)
Genre: Cancer, Depression, M/M, Mentions of Cancer, Nurse Owen, Patient Zach, Slight Future Homophobia, Slow Burn, major character sickness, more tags to come
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 14:41:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12390159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlashWriter2015/pseuds/SlashWriter2015
Summary: Zachary Mitchell deals with the new prognosis. Just out of high school and vulnerable. He wants to give up. Until a certain nurse tells him it's okay to feel scared





	1. Don't Give Up

**Author's Note:**

> This is a series I started writing on my phone. That's why the chapters may not be extremely long, but I tried my hardest! Please leave love and tell me what you think!

Whoever had said patience was a virtue had definitely been lying. At least that's what Zachary thought, sitting there in the hospital, alone. It had been two months since the diagnosis: two months of crying, of denial and fear. Who knew that simple headaches could've turned into this? If someone had told him that it was a possibility he would have left the hospital with that prognosis at the time, he probably wouldn't have gone. Nobody wants to hear that, to be told you have an incurable threat living inside you. Now he sat here, amidst others like him, waiting for the nurse to start his first treatment. Any second from now a nurse was gonna walk in and hook him up to a machine that's gonna pump radiation into him, fill his blood with poison. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows onto his knees, taking his face into his hands. He dug his fingernails into his scalp, his fingertips buried in his jet-black hair. God was he nervous. Biting his bottom lip, he stared down at the sterile white floor, pondering. He thought back to that day, when the doctor had walked in and broke the news to his mother and him. A month out of high school and this is what the adult world had thrown at him. To say it was ironic would be an understatement, a huge one at that.

"Zachary Mitchell?" came a voice above him, Zachary looking up into a pair of chocolate-colored orbs. The eighteen-year-old shuddered as he looked at his nurse and the accompanying equipment. He simply nodded his head, trying to fight the fear on the inside.

"My name’s Owen Grady, I'll be your charge nurse for today. You ready Champ?" the nurse asked, Zachary shaking his head as he sat back into his seat. Watching as Owen prepped the equipment around him, he saw the man produce a pointed needle, suddenly shirking his arm away before Owen could reach for it. The nurse simply looked up at him, a sense of understanding in his eyes.

"Don't like needles, huh?" he said quietly, Zachary looking about the room before nodding his head sheepishly.

"That's okay, everyone has a phobia, but I need to administer it to start your treatment," Owen said, Zachary closing his eyes as he held his arms to his chest, his breathing growing rapid. Why did it have to be needles? Anything but needles he thought, his heart rate beginning to quicken. That's when he felt a comforting hand pat his knee. "Would squeezing my hand help?" the nurse offered, Zachary opening his eyes long enough to give the man a nod and look at him. Unclenching his arms from his chest, he gave the nurse his right arm as he prepped the needle and hooked it up to the IV bag at his side.

"You ready?" came Owen's voice, the man slipping his hand into Zachary's as he nodded his head and clenched his eyes shut. Trying to calm himself, Zachary suddenly squeezed Owen's hand as hard as he could, the nurse not flinching for a second as he easily popped the needle into Zach's arm. The eighteen-year-old hissed as he felt the point slide in, his blood racing in his veins. He felt something being applied to his arm, opening his eyes to see that Owen was finished and applying a bandage to keep the needle steady.

"All done. See, you did great Champ," the man offered, smiling up at Zach who simply laughed meekly before resting his head against the headrest. He began to chuckle at the absurdity of it all. Here he had something inside him that was slowly killing him at the one thing he's afraid of is a needle. He laughed more and more, drawing the unwanted attention from the other patients in the room. His whole body shook, his laughs quickly turning to soft sobs. That's when he felt a hand grip his, opening his eyes to see Owen staring down at him, a small frown gracing the nurse’s face. Zachary tried quelling the fear inside of him as quickly as he could, taking his free hand and rubbing his eyes before casting an apologetic glance to the others in the room. It was going to be a long first treatment he thought, resigning himself to his situation. Even now he could feel the slight burn in his blood, his stomach beginning to feel queasy.

"It's okay, to feel scared," Owen whispered, Zachary initially brushing the nurse off. He didn't wanna be told how to feel. Not by someone he just met. Somehow though, just hearing those words made the edge seem slightly less sharp. Casting a side glance at the male nurse, he furrowed his brows before shaking his head. "I'm here for you when you need me; I'll be in the nurses’ station right over there, okay?" came the man’s voice again, Zachary once again trying to brush him off. He hated being seen as weak, and he was probably pathetic-looking right now.

"Yeah. . .okay," he muttered, Owen giving his hand one last squeeze before walking off. Then it was gone, the warmth. The feeling of security. Feeling his chest constrict, Zachary peered up at the man as he walked away. Silently wishing he'd come back but also wanting to be alone. His whole mind was a jumble of emotions right now, his brain unable to find and pick one to stay with. Watching Owen enter the nurses’ station, he saw the man suddenly turn around and smile at him. There it was again, that feeling of security and warmth. He felt a slight crimson blush creep onto his cheeks before turning his attention elsewhere, anywhere but that man’s eyes. Those eyes were dangerous, because they made everything seem like it was going to be okay, when he knew it wasn't. Nothing would ever be okay now. Or would it? Feeling the compulsion once more, he turned his gaze back to the nurse who was now busy typing away on a computer. Sighing to himself, Zachary leaned back and closed his eyes, his mind alight with a thousand different thoughts, one of them being that smile, and another one being those dark brown eyes.


	2. The Questions We Ask

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zachary is self doubting. He can't see or understand Owen's attraction to him and it eats him up inside. So much that he just has to ask Owen, why?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This short is just that, a bit short. Tell me what you think though! Comments make my day and honestly mean the world to me!

Rain had a way of bringing people together. The droplets raining across the city accumulated into puddles and ponds as people ran inside to escape the onslaught of water. Zachary thought the weather was a perfect match for his mood. He sat there twiddling his fingers in the hospital cafeteria.

“Sorry we can't make it to your appointment sweetie, busy at work. Make sure to pick yourself up some dinner, going out with the girls from work tonight. Love you!”

Zachary kept going over the text in his head, his mother having sent it earlier that morning. He was exhausted. It had been three weeks since he started the chemotherapy. He was constantly sick, his body trying to rid itself of the poison he was being pumped with, leaving him physically and mentally drained. Deciding to get it over with, he had made his older brother shave his head. Zachary wasn't sure he could bear the thought of running his fingers through his hair, only for small clumps to fall out with each grasp. His aching bones, burning blood, and constant puking all conspired to zap him of what little energy he had left. He kept at it though, silently praying and hoping it would help. The eighteen-year-old was so caught up in his thoughts, he barely registered the fact that someone had sat at the table with him. Looking up from his hands, he stared into those chocolatey brown eyes he had come to admire.

"You okay?" came the voice, Zachary nodding his head as Owen smiled at him before sliding a small bowl of oatmeal over. Gazing down at the offered treat, he noticed there was chunks of apples and a light coating of brown sugar, his favorite. He couldn't let his melancholy thoughts get him down, not with Owen here now. Quickly reaching over and snatching Owen's spoon from his hand, Zachary giggled as the man gasped with mock hurt before smirking at him, reaching into his pocket and producing another spoon. He lets his eyes wander over the nurse in front of him, taking in the view, from the small definition of muscles lying just under the scrubs to the slight stubble on the man’s chin, to the dark brown hair that rocked a natural windswept appeal. That's when he felt it, a sudden kick of self-doubt. Owen was so attractive, yet Zach just looked sickly.

"Can I ask you something?" Zachary whispered, looking back up at Owen through hooded lashes. Owen nodded his head, biting into an apple before smiling.

"Why do you like me?"

The question came out sounding more like an accusation, the man in front of him slightly taken aback at the tone in the teen’s voice. He watched as Owen swallowed his food, peering down at his tray before gazing back up at man in front of him.

"There's a lot more to you than you think Zach. I could see it when I met you. Is it bad that I want to get to know you?" Owen muttered, Zachary worrying he had offended the man.

"No! It's not, I swear. I'm sorry. . .I just. . .got a lot on my mind right now," Zachary countered, once again fidgeting with his hands. He clenched his eyes shut, suddenly wishing himself elsewhere. When he felt a pair of hands slide into his, he still didn't open his eyes.

"I understand Zach, and I'm here for you when you wanna talk," the nurse whispered, Zach opening his eyes to gaze at the man sitting across from him. He didn't say anything, just nodded his head before offering the faint traces of a smile. Grabbing his spoon, he began to work on the oatmeal in front of him, he and Owen falling into a comfortable silence together. His mother’s words suddenly didn't hurt as much. He didn't feel as alone as he had only moments prior, a small warmth building in his chest. This time the warmth didn't come with a feeling of nausea and pain—this time it made him feel good. He smiled a genuine smile right then, a sense of happiness blooming inside his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are love my friends!


	3. A Home Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Owen takes Zachary out to a baseball game for their fourth date. Zachary tries to cope with the heat and crowd, much to Owen's amusement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave some love y'all! Comments truly make my day! I appreciate it! I wanna know what y'all think!

Afternoon sunlight spilled over the city of Los Angeles, a chorus of sounds emanating from Angel Stadium. Adjusting his baseball cap, Zachary growled as another fan bumped into him as they passed him in the stands. Why had he ever agreed to this? A baseball game in the middle of summer, amidst one of California’s famous heatwaves no less. He must've been out of his mind, or smitten with the man sitting next to him. He had yet to decide.

"Would you lighten up! Let loose Zach, don't be so uptight," Came Owen's voice next to him, Zachary momentarily taken aback at the older one’s tone.

"What do you mean? I am not uptight!" He shot back, Owen chuckling as he rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the field.

"Says the man who looks like he has a corn cob stuck up his ass, but hey, believe what you want babe," the older of the two muttered, Zachary taking time to glare at the man before sending a punch into his shoulder.

"Shut up. . .I am not uptight," he countered, Owen just giggling once more as Zachary returned to people watching. If he were being honest, the only reason he came was because Owen had been dying to take him to a baseball game for their fourth date. What the man saw in him he would never understand. He wasn't the hottest guy in the city. Nor was he the richest or the most fun to be around, but Owen saw something in him that he didn't see in himself. That could be the only explanation as to why the twenty-four-year-old had stuck around this long and continued to ask him out on dates. Zach was no idiot though, he realized that Owen was a catch and he would be lying if he had said he didn't like the attention and affection the older man presented to him. Losing himself in his own thoughts, Zachary reflected on the last month and a half since Owen and he had met. Sure, some may have viewed it as unprofessional and a little uncouth, why, to be seeing one of your own nurses and all. Owen had simply waved off all the stares and whispers in the hospital when the two were caught eating together in the cafeteria or walking the halls together during one of Zachary's many appointments and checkups. Yes, it had been a very pleasant month and a half. Casting his eyes over the stadium, Zachary reflected on the bad place he had been in when Owen walked into his life. He was sick, very sick, but when Owen had come in, the older man must have seen it as a personal mission to try to raise Zachary's hopes and give him the extra pep in his step. As much as he tried to dissuade the man from going after him, he was unrelenting. He smiled at the memories that had led up to this point.

"Zachary!"

Suddenly pulled from his thoughts, Zachary turned his attention back to Owen just as the man yanked him closer, the distinct sound of air whooshing beside his head and the sudden crack of something solid hitting the seat behind him. Bewildered and stunned, he peered behind to see a baseball lying on the ground just inches from where he had been. Without thinking, he reached forward, grabbing the ball just as another hand leapt for it.

"Watch it baldie! That ball is mine!" bellowed a gruff voice in front of him. Zachary reeled back just in time to see a pig of a man standing there, his beer gut jutting out of his Hawaiian shirt and beer still dripping from his oversized beard. It took several milliseconds to realize what he had been called before his hands jumped to his head. His cap, it was off. Jumping to his feet, he recoiled into Owen’s front side just as the taller and older of the two stood up.

"What the fuck did you just say!?" Owen hollered, Zachary ignoring the situation as he knelt and picked up his baseball cap, having been knocked off when Owen had yanked him back previously. He suddenly felt very insecure and scared, his mind and heart racing. Suddenly he heard a large chorus of boos echoing the stadium, he looked up to see the whole situation playing out on the Mega Screen. People were booing the bigger man, his face contorted into a scowl as he flipped people off. Oh God, everyone could see him. See what had happened. Without a second thought, Zachary barreled forward and ran up the stairs to the exit, ignoring the calls Owen was hollering after him. He needed to be somewhere, anywhere but here. Shooting out the exit, he ran down the corresponding corridors until he was in the parking lot. His chest burned, aching from the run. He suddenly felt wetness on his cheeks and he raised a hand to them, only then realizing he had been crying. That man’s words, it only made it seem more real. Closer to home. Before he could register what was happening, he was leaning against the wall of the stadium sobbing. It was several minutes before he felt a pair of arms pull him into a tight embrace.

"Shhh, I got ya. It's okay. Don't cry," the familiar voice soothed. Zachary crying into the shoulder provided. "You shouldn't have run like that Zach, you’re still weak from yesterday's treatment," the voice continued. Zachary knew that. He could feel it in his bones, the aching and burning. After a few moments, he calmed down.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't handle the crowd and everyone suddenly staring at me like that. . .I didn't mean to run from you," Zachary said softly, a comforting hand rubbing circles in his back.

"Don't apologize, I understand. It was my fault, I probably shouldn't have brought you out here a day after your treatment and all. Listen Zach, don't worry about that fucktard back there. I'd never let anything bad happen to you, I'll always be here to protect you, okay?" Owen said, Zachary pulling back as he wiped at his eyes. Several seconds of silence passed between the two as Zachary regained his composure before finally looking up into Owen's chocolate brown eyes.

"You don't apologize either. It's not your fault. I agreed to this too ya know," Zachary chided his date, Owen smiling down at him as Zach gave him a sly smirk.

"How about this. Let's go back to my place and we can take a walk along the beach, and for dinner I'll cook us some homemade pizza. Then we can end it with movies and cuddles. That sound good?" asked Owen, earning a simple head nod from his companion. Zachary sniffled as he reached over and grabbed the man’s hand in his own, giving it a slight squeeze. Both of them took off toward the car.

"Hey! Hey, wait!" came an unfamiliar voice behind them, both Owen and Zach turning to see a stadium worker running up to them, panting. "Don't. . .leave yet. . .kid. I got something for ya," the man said, reaching into a vest pocket and producing a pristine white baseball, multiple signatures written over it. Zach quirked an eyebrow at the man, reaching forth and hesitantly taking the offered ball.

"It's not gonna bite ya kid. My managers and I saw what happened back there. We wanted to show you that we don't support that kinda behavior. The man has been asked to leave the stadium and the team wanted you to have this. We usually give away a signed baseball at the end of the game, but we can always sign another for the giveaway. I hope you won't let this ruin your impression of Angel Stadium," the man said, giving Zach an award-winning smile as he looked down at the ball and moved it around in his hand.

"Oh. . .well thank you. I appreciate it," he replied, smiling as he offered the ball to Owen who was looking at it with wide eyes and a giant smile. The man nodded his head before bidding them goodbye, turning around and jogging back into the stadium.

"Well look at that, something good did come outta this date," Owen laughed, handing the ball back to Zachary who pocketed it. Resuming their trek back to the car, Zachary returned his hand to Owen's and smiled. Maybe there was a light at the end of every situation. Time could only tell, but for now he was happy just to be spending time with Owen, and the same could be said for his companion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are love my friends!


	4. How The Wind Blows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zachary finally comes out to his parents, and doesn't have the outcome he would have liked. Needing some time alone, he ventures out. Owen shows up for the rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what I got so far! More chapters will come, please enjoy and be patient! Chapters take time, especially since my editor/friend has to come over them for mistakes.

"I will not have a gay son!"

Those words seemed to echo inside his mind, over and over. It wasn't just the physical pain anymore, now he had this. It crushed him on the inside. Those years of memories. The years of laughter, of tears, of angry shouting. All simply washed away with a simple sentence. It had felt like a punch in the face when his father had screamed that at him. He thought back to the moment. How he had simply run from the house. He drove away. He wasn't sure of his destination at the time, but somehow, he had ended up at the beach on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Now he was just sitting there in the sand, his knees pulled up to his chest. There were no tears. No regrets. He just felt numb on the inside. He peered up at the sky, happy that he was at least far enough out from the city that he could see the stars, each point of light shimmering in the distance. He closed his eyes, focusing his attention on the sound of the ocean waves crashing to the shore. He'd never understand it, how one could turn their back on their own child like that, regardless of the reason. He swore up and down that if he ever had a kid, he would love them, regardless of who they turned out to be. He frowned at the thought, the questions filling his mind. Would he have kids? Would he even live long enough to make it to that point of his life? He wasn't sure. At this point, he wasn't sure of anything. He had turned his cell off after he had left, not wanting to hear from anyone, especially his mother or father. He had remembered how his mother just stood there, crying. She may not have shared his father’s sentiments, but she also didn't try to stop the altercation or try to quell her husband’s anger at the moment. So in Zach's mind, that made her just as guilty, regardless of her intent. Taking off his ball cap, he ran his fingers through his hair. It still hadn't fully grown back but it was there. It made him happy, relieved even. He had hated looking into the mirror back during his chemo treatments. He looked so sickly all the time: the bags under his eyes, the loss of his hair, the pallor of his skin. Sure, he knew it was temporary, but it didn't make it any more pleasant to look at. That's when his thoughts drifted to Owen. The very nurse who had been there during his first chemo session, even going as far as helping him when he had to get sick. It wasn't exactly the ideal way to meet, but he didn't really have a choice in the matter. After exchanging pleasantries, Owen had been glued to him. Somehow, during the treatments, Owen didn't see Zach as ugly or grotesque. Not like many of the other men in the city. He had stuck with him during those tough times. He'd been the first person to hold Zach when the doctors had told him that the chemo wasn't working and that they'd need to find alternative treatments. A lot had happened in the last year. Sighing to himself, Zachary laid back onto the sand and stared up at the sky. The moon sat there, nestled in a blanket of stars and void space. For some reason, it was comforting.

"Zach! Where are you Zachary?" called a familiar voice. Returning to his sitting position, Zachary watched as Owen walked up and down the beach before finally noticing him and jogging over.

"I've been looking for you all night! Your aunt called me, are you okay?" Owen asked as he finally made it to Zachary's side, taking a seat next to him.

"Not really," was his simple reply, Owen simply nodding his head and peering off to look at the ocean. "You wanna talk about it?" he asked.

"Not right now," replied the younger male, still staring off at the stars. "How did you manage to find me?" Zach asked after several long seconds, finally turning his attention back to Owen.

"Your car GPS, I managed to find its number and track it down," Owen answered, Zach quirking an eyebrow at him.  
"It helps to have served time in the Navy. I still remember a few tricks they taught me while on duty," he smirked, Zachary smiling back. Feeling a sudden gust of wind brush through them, Zachary scooted closer to Owen before leaning against him and laying his head onto the other man’s shoulder. He suddenly felt a lot better with the other man’s company, like a weight had been lifted off his chest. They stayed like that for several minutes, taking in the view. Owen had snaked his arm around Zachary's waist, securing the twenty-year-old to his side. Moonlight glistened off the crashing waves, the waves themselves churning up the sand not far from their feet.

"I can't live there anymore," Zachary whispered after what had seemed an eternity, Owen simply humming in response." My father isn't going to want me there anymore, and I don't think I could stand to live with him anyways. Not after tonight," he continued, Owen still tracing his fingers lightly against his waist.

"Then come live with me," was all Owen said in response, the very notion causing Zach to pull back and look up at him.

"I couldn't burden you like that O. . .with everything going on, I couldn't possibly-" he began, Owen holding up a hand to stop him.

"You’re not a burden Zach. You. . .well, you’re very special to me. Like I said back at the ballpark all those months ago, I'd never let anything bad happen to you. If coming to live with me means giving you a better-quality life, then I want you to. I can help you get a better paying job at the hospital so you can pull your weight. I mean, half of your stuff is already over there already, so it won't make a big difference," Owen stated, Zachary continuing to stare up at the man for several minutes. Without warning, he leapt forward and tackled the man into the sand. Owen grunted in response as he held onto the other man, surprise evident on his face.

"Thank you Owen, for everything," was all Zachary said, Owen smiling in turn.

"Come on, let’s go home and get some sleep. I'll swing by your parent’s place tomorrow to pick up the remainder of your stuff," the older of the two standing up as he reached forward and helped Zachary up from the sand.

"You sure you’re gonna be okay around my dad?" he asked, Owen chuckling in response.

"I'm a US Navy vet—I’d like to see him try something," he chuckled, Zachary smiling back as they made their way to the road. In the back of his mind, Zachary kept thinking one simple thing. How did he get so lucky?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are love my friends!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are love my friends!


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